So Erec and Yvain ride together until they see the tops of the trees of the orchard. Yet all around is a thick wall of mist.
'Now I must leave you,' Erec says, 'for this is my adventure.'
He spurs his horse on into the billowing mist which pushes and
heaves all around him so that he feels quite sick,
as if he is
in a small boat on a very rough sea. Still, in a short time he
finds himself in the orchard, but he does not begin to feel better.
For he sees that around the edge stands a ring of wooden posts,
and on the top of each post is the head of a dead knight, still
wearing his helmet.
On a silver couch covered with gold-embroidered cloth sits a beautiful lady, her eyes glittering beneath her long, dark hair. As Erec moves closer to look at her, he hears an angry roar:
'Stand back! How dare you approach my lady. You will pay dearly for it.'
A tall knight on a black horse appears before him.
'Friend,' replies Erec, 'you can threaten as much as you like. I am not about to run away. I am ready to defend myself, and if anyone wants to do battle with me, he had better fight his hardest.'
'You shall have your battle, so help me God,' the other cried, 'for I defy and challenge you.'
